GRAHAM – Come March 3, Jonathan Deming and John Fabbri plan to embark on a little stroll.

If things go as planned, they won’t be finished until Aug. 19, and they’ll have covered 2,178 miles along the way.

Deming and Fabbri, both 23, are about to set off to hike the Appalachian Trail – the world’s longest continuously marked footpath that stretches from Springer Mountain, Ga., to Mount Katahdin, Maine. Their goal is to finish on Aug. 19.

“It’s more of a calling,” Deming said of what attracted the two to the trail. “It’ll be a challenge – make you more of the person you want to be.”

Deming and Fabbri have known one another since sixth grade. They met while members of Boy Scout Troop 41 at Graham’s First United Methodist Church. Both became Eagle Scouts.

Deming graduated from Graham High School in 2008 before majoring in music at Greensboro College. He’s the son of Jim and Connie Deming.

Fabbri graduated from Eastern Alamance High School in 2008, then earned a degree in business management at UNC Asheville. His parents are Jim and Becky Fabbri.

Fabbri said the two began discussing hiking the Appalachian Trail about a year ago, though they “started intense planning” only about four months ago. They’re planning to spend their nights on the Appalachian Trail sleeping in hammocks covered by tarps.

It’s a rather odd means to plan to hike the trail, both admitted. Deming said it’s estimated that only 1 percent of through-hikers – those who hike the entire trail – sleep in hammocks. The pair said they opted to go with hammocks because tents are too heavy and they don’t have a lot of interest in sleeping in shelters along the way because of their influx of mice and similar rodents.

Deming and Fabbri have prepared for their adventure by hiking and camping at a number of state parks – Eno River, Morrow Mountain and Grandfather Mountain, included. They’re planning to have items sent by loved ones to post offices they’ll pass along the way. It’s a common way for through-hikers to stay abreast of family members.

Deming and Fabbri said they’re aware that a large number of hikers who embark on the trail with plans of going the distance never finish. Fabbri said he’s read that 10 percent of those who plan to hike the entire trail drop out before they’re 30 miles into it.

But Deming and Fabbri said they’re convinced they’ll make it. The distance they cover in a given day will depend largely upon the terrain – 10 miles when it’s especially strenuous, 17 miles when the terrain’s a little flatter.

They’re already got their trail names selected. Most through-hikers go by such names instead of their real names. Deming will be known as “Slappy the Guard” because he plans to give a high-five to the trail markers he encounters and he works as a lifeguard.

Page 2 of 2 - Fabbri will be “Freight Train.” Deming said his friend will be known as such because of his tendency to struggle up steep hills before thundering down the declines.

The trail stretches through parts of 14 states – including a goodly portion through the North Carolina mountains.

“When I think of the things that could knock us off (the trail), I come up with a lot more reasons to keep going,” Deming said.